Vietnam - Over 350 young people participate in 1st Salesian Student Congress
Dalat, Vietnam - April 2023 - On April 29 at the "Don Bosco" postnovitiate in Dalat City, more than 350 students from Saigon, Can Tho, and Dalat participated in the 1st Salesian Student Congress, organized by the Youth Ministry of the Salesian Vietnam Province (VIE). Starting in the morning, students gathered at the community hall to begin meeting and exchange activities. Fr. Martin Tran That Bao explained that the purpose of the congress is to celebrate the 30th, 15th, and 5th anniversaries of the establishment of the boarding schools in Saigon, Dalat, and Can Tho respectively, and to create a connection among the students of the Salesian centers, promoting the integral education of young people. Present at the event, in addition to the Salesians, were Don Bosco Past Pupils and Salesian Cooperators, who accompanied the students. After the welcoming ceremony by Fr. Toma Vu Kim Long, Director of the Don Bosco Dalat Community, Fr. Peter Nguyen Viet Quang Minh, Provincial Delegate for the Youth Ministry of the Salesians of Vietnam, presented the theme of the Congress, "Living 'one way'." Then the Salesian Provincial of Vietnam, Fr. Barnabas Le An Phong, spoke and shared with the students the theme, "For Eternal Youth," emphasizing that to remain young, it is essential to have a spirit of service. The same Provincial then presided over the Eucharist. They rounded the day out with various afternoon activities to foster exchange and knowledge among the young people, a youth debate on Don Bosco, and, in the evening, a musical performance and raffle.